'''I know,'' Peca said on Tuesday, as the Islanders prepared to play at Buffalo. ''That's the way of life. Things happen. Sometimes we can never explain why they do. But it's worked out great for me.'''

'''If you look at our past four or five games, we're averaging four goals-against a game. We can't support that,'' Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. ''Miller's been playing fabulous. … We need to win a hockey game.'''

'The opponent may only have been Buffalo, a team trying to deal with huge off-ice problems, but the Sabres continue to play Washington very tough every time the teams meet. Buffalo came from behind in the final 3:11 to beat the Caps in an earlier meeting this season.'

'The Sabres, 8-22-5-1, came into the game with the league's worst record. But, thanks to two lucky bounces that resulted in Buffalo goals, the Caps still needed goals from Zubrus, Mike Grier, Jaromir Jagr and a game-winner from rookie Ivan Ciernik with 8:24 to play to put away the battling Sabres.'

'"Last year, everyone here prided themselves on us having a better second half," said Buffalo's Martin Biron, who made 24 saves. "We got ourselves back in the playoff picture. We gotta do the same thing and get back in it and have a good second half."'

'"Lindy had told me in training camp that the fourth line center was the spot he had me penciled in for," remarked the 24 year-old. "I knew that he was going to put me there and let me play every night. It's been a big step in my career to be able to do that."'

'"The frustration level does rise, and you're sitting around to the point it's the only thing you can think about," he said. "When the team's not winning and you're wondering what's going to happen and where things are going, it's not a fun situation."'